Playground Games is back with the second installment of its open-world Forza franchise. This time around, it’s gone all the way. Forza Horizon 2 has so much content it’s resulted in our lengthiest ‘Everything You Need to Know’ article on the Gaming channel ever. Some RPGs are probably jealous.
There’s more to Forza Horizon 2 than meets the eye. You probably expect it to have hundreds of cars, and a big open-world to explore. But there’s much more than that, so much that I’ve invested more than a dozen hours into the game and have only seen a fraction of its offerings.
Related: Forza Horizon 2 is Video Game Release Done Right
To help give you an idea of why Forza Horizon 2 is such a special game, we’ve compiled all of its major qualities into one easy-to-read gallery. You can check it out below.
Forza Horizon 2 - Everything You Need to Know
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210 cars of all shapes and sizes
The car list in Forza Horizon 2 is just about the perfect size. It's not the 400+ we saw in Forza Motorsport 4, but it is a concise list without all the duplicates you typically see from a massive roster. In other words, there aren't 30 different Nissan Skylines. This diversity of cars plays perfectly into the game's championship design which incentivizes you to build a garage filled with different automobiles. You'll soon find yourself driving hyper cars, off-road monsters, rally cars, and even some rare classics.
Also, the level of detail for every car is outstanding. Both the interior and exterior of every car has been copied from the real world. When you drive in cockpit view, you'll see all the dash elements you would see in real life. That's extraordinary when you consider this is an open-world game.
You can see the full list of cars here.
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Over 700 events
Forza Horizon 2 has an incredible amount of content, so much that it'll take dozens of hours to complete it all. There are over 18 different championship styles at each of the game's six hubs, which then have four events per championship. Each of these championships vary in style, from off-road racing to supercars only. Not only are the cars allowed in each different, but so are the formats of the events. Some of them take you through the beautiful vineyards of Italy, while others send you through Nice weaving in and out of French traffic.
Similar to Forza Motorsport 5's design, this gives you reason to buy different types of cars, and build a collection during your journey.
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Over 150 tracks across 7 radio stations
Rob Da Bank was hired to put together a soundtrack for Forza Horizon 2, and it's an absolute beast. There are seven radio stations, all very different in style. You've got house, techno, indie, alternative rock, classical and baroque, and even drum and bass. There's something for everyone, and you can change the station or turn off the music entirely using the d-pad.
You can check out the entire list of songs here.
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Level progression, skill system, wheel spins
A lot was learned from Forza Motorsport 2's somewhat underwhelming progression system. In Forza Horizon 2, you always feel like you're earning something new. With each level up, you'll get a wheel spin. This will result in you getting bonus cash or a free car, all at random. Your level will also be displayed for all to see, and for each 15 levels you earn you'll get a new color of wristband and a big bonus.
There's also skill system which rewards you for driving as flashy and dangerously as possible, resulting in you being able to unlock perks during your travels. These two systems go a long way toward making you feel like the game wants you to feel special.
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Tons of online options
The online experience is not a place that Forza Horizon 2 takes lightly. It has a car club system, which operates like a guild or clan. You can make friends and progress together by joining or creating one. In terms of things to do with others in the game, you can free-roam, compete in events, do co-op bucket list challenges, go on road trips, and even go to car meets to check out each other's cars. If you're a social gamer, Forza Horizon 2 is a great place to be.
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A huge map set in Italy and France
Forza Horizon 2 is set in France and Italy. It includes the beautiful outdoors, a golf course, vineyards, and cities including Nice, Montellino, and Saint-Martin.
Within this massive space there are a ton of things to do. You can free-roam, search for hidden garages with collectible cars in them, drive as fast as you can through speed points, complete the bucket list challenges, break down XP billboards, and more. It's probably more like an RPG than most of the other racing games out there.
You can see the full map for yourself here.
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Dynamic weather and a day/night cycle
Of all the qualities listed in this gallery, this is perhaps the most important one. The weather in Forza Horizon 2 is a huge deal. Not only does the game look beautiful when rain soaks the asphalt, but it changes how you need to drive. This means that while you know how to drive well on tarmac, and perhaps off-road, you'll have to adapt to varying conditions. Driving in rain is nothing like driving during a clear, sunny day.
The day/night cycle constantly moves time as you drive around completing events. You'll see shadows move as you cruise around, and eventually your headlights will turn on to provide visibility during the night. Night driving in cockpit view is something you won't soon forget.
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There's a narrative, albeit a subtle one
As you may have seen in the demo, which is available for free on the Xbox Store, Forza Horizon 2 begins with some impressive cutscenes. This is a game that actually has a story for you to take part in. You'll see your character, who is visually represented in the game, and his interactions with some of the other NPCs. The voice acting is actually quite good, so you probably won't dismiss it like you probably do with Need for Speed games of the past. Yes, there isn't an epic narrative to follow, but at the very least the game will substantiate its world. You won't be left questioning why you're in Italy and France.
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Drivatars are back
Forza Motorsport 5's Drivatar system was bold, but had its flaws. Basically, the system analyzed your driving behavior (brake points, turning angles, etc.) to build an A.I. profile that drives like you.
The system is back, this time with improvements to prevent the despicably aggressive driving behavior of Forza Motorsport 5's Drivatars. You'll see your friends in your races, in the open-world, and as a result you'll feel like you're never quite alone. You can opt to challenge any of the Drivatars in your world for a unique head-to-head battle that has money on the line.
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Customize the look of your cars, and take photos
The livery editor of previous Forza games is back and better than ever. You'll be able to customize the paint and decal configuration of each of your cars, and share your work. Or, you can download someone else's and then decide if you like it. With this, you can show off your personality on the road.
Forza Horizon 2 also rewards you for taking photos during your journey. You'll earn experience for taking snapshots, and then have the option to share them with others. There are already some beautiful photos to check out in the Photo Gallery section.
